DPI's Research Angler Program wants your mackerel frames

During the tail end of the mackerel season on the North Coast, the Research Angler Program is keen to collect your Spanish and spotted mackerel frames.

It’s easy to participate and you can drop the frames (the entire frame or just the head with fish's total length indicated) to one of our participating drop-off locations.  

The fish don't need to be trophy specimens as we are looking for all size classes. Data collected by this program will contribute towards ensuring continued quality recreational fishing opportunities for mackerel and other key species into the future. 

Each frame donated earns an entry into our monthly lucky angler prize draws.  Find out more about the Research Angler Program, including your closest drop-off location, at this link.

Funded by NSW fishing licence fees.

Labor and other MPs block flood plain harvesting rules
In the NSW Legislative Assembly on 6 May, NSW Labor, aligned with most crossbench MPs, rejected plans by the NSW Coalition government for new monitoring, regulation and licencing of flood plain harvesting which allows irrigators to capture flood waters on their properties. The disallowance of the regulations published only a week earlier, was on a vote of 21-15. This will be the second time the regulations have been rejected--the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers, Greens and other MPs rejected the proposed rules in 2020.

The flood plain harvesting rules were meant to plug a loophole in the Water Management Act 2000 that allowed irrigators to capture water without a licence as it flowed over their land. The regulations were an attempt to reconcile the effect of restrictions of water extraction from the Murray Darling Basin rivers with the thousands of dams and other other structure irrigators have built to capture those flows over their land. Opponents to the proposed regulations say that before licensing can be introduced, there should be legislation to enshrine adequate downstream flows to other types of licence holders, communities and the environment. Without those downstream flows firstly being protected, the availability of water to those users would be under threat if the models of extraction turned out to be inaccurate, or if inflows continue to fall due to climate change.

The government claims the modelling is accurate. Melinda Pavey, Minister for Water, says the policy would make NSW the first state to measure and license the extraction. She said 'The NSW government spent six years and more than $15 million on collecting and analysing data from field inspections, remote sensing, metering and river flow records, ensuring the best available science informs this groundbreaking reform.'

But other MPs, including Helen Dalton from the Shooters Fishers & Farmers Party, say it is just a way to legalise flood plain harvesting.

“The Nationals say this causes ‘uncertainty’. But they only have themselves to blame. They’ve not consulted properly, failed to legislate downstream water targets and failed to ensure all water take will be within the cap [on water extraction]”, she said.

In other bad news for the NSW government on the same day, the Murray-Darling Basin Commission said that all the 20 water resource management plans put forward by the NSW government were unlikely to meet the requirements of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. Four of the plans have already been withdrawn by the government. A statement by the Authority said 'All proposed NSW [plans] appear to be inconsistent with Basin Plan requirements...some of these inconsistencies are policy related and others are technical.'

The RFA buys its Vice President a new watch

At the recent Sea Bees’ Fishing Club - Lake Lyell ANSA NSW Convention, RFA VP and Sportfish NSW club member Max Castle jumped the gun and caught a huge trout that would have taken out the longest trout for the weekend if he had not caught it an hour before the official start fishing time. The consolation is that at 652 mm it is the leading length only trout in the ANSA NSW Statewide Competition, and he now has a new watch to save him future embarrassment.

Pipis are great bait don't collect them to eat

NSW DPI is reminding recreational fishers that collecting pipis for human consumption is not permitted in NSW. Pipis may be taken for bait from NSW beaches but cannot be moved more than 50 metres from the high tide mark. 

This long-standing arrangement is in place because pipis may contain toxins due to natural algal blooms, which are not always visible in the water. Algal blooms can occur anywhere along the coast and are normally the result of the upwelling of nutrient rich deep ocean water onto the continental shelf. These blooms can often be seen after rainfall events in estuaries and in river mouths. Some of these algae produce harmful toxins that can build up in marine shellfish like pipis. These toxins are capable of making people very ill and cooking does not destroy them. 

If you like eating pipis, buy them from your local seafood retailer. In NSW, commercially harvested shellfish produced by oyster and mussel farmers and by commercial fishers collecting shellfish, such as pipis, must comply with a comprehensive food safety program. 

The industry closely monitors algal levels, tests water and shellfish product and does not harvest when levels reach alert levels. 

This program is controlled through the NSW Shellfish Program administered by the NSW Food Authority and assists commercial shellfish harvesters to control risks associated with harmful substances in shellfish. It is recommended to only eat shellfish harvested under a recognized commercial program. For more info, go to the NSW Food Authority website at www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au.

Pipis have a bag/possession limit of 50 in combination with cockles and mussels. Report suspected illegal shellfish collection via the Fishers Watch phone line on 1800 043 536 or online at this link.

RFA code of conduct on animal welfare
The RFA has added a code of conduct regarding animal welfare to its website at www.rfansw.com.au/animal-welfare-and-recreational-fishing/.

The wider community has a range of views on fishing, including various opinions on the consumption of meat and fish, on whether fish feel pain, whether animals are sentient beings, and so on. We respect and constantly consider these concerns—indeed we know that recreational fishers ponder these same issues.

Recreational fishers enjoy a social licence that depends on broad community acceptance of our activities. Therefore, we recognize that recreational fishing practices must meet regulatory and community standards, and that these standards may change over time.

The code of conduct contains advice to our member organisations and fishing clubs, and to individual recreational fishers.

It also contains information points for the media and links to specialised codes of conduct from the game fishing and underwater fishing bodies.

ARFF’s Tackle Box project is about to engage with the Australian fishing community
Through grant funding from the Australian Government, the Australian Recreational Fishing Foundation successfully completed engaging 19 fishing events throughout Australia utilising the innovative Tackle Box app. This pilot project has been undertaken to show that there is a growing desire from the recreational fishing community to modernise how we collect information to help all of us make better evidence-based decisions.

By breaking free of the archaic data collection practices, implement new practices, while keeping our fishing values and principles that we hold dear, all Australian’s will soon have a chance to engage in rec fishing citizen science through the different programs ARFF is working to develop with its member organisations including the RFA.

ARFF’s new communications specialist Bonita “Snagger” Brown (pictured top)  is about to engage the Australian rec fishing community over the next couple of months through a tailored campaign which will highlight the great work the project has done and where it is heading next.

ARFF’s executive officer Adam Martin (pic below) says “you wouldn’t buy a house unseen, not knowing its condition, would you? Then why do we continue to make decisions about what is happening below the waterline without perform a real-world condition audit of what actually exists in the form of habitat and fish stocks? We also need to understand how our own fishing behaviour interacts with the fish and habitat so we can make superior evidence-based decision making through co-management arrangements.”

Martin continues “Gone are the days of taxpayers having to foot the bill for incredibly expensive research programs and enormous vessels that are already fitted out with obsolete technology and processes that belong in the 20^th century.

Community driven programs that give the community stewardship using next generation technology that removes a great deal of human error and provides rigorous data collection using swarm style campaigns is the only way to move forward compared to very expensive to operate large and slow single vessels.”

Stay tuned as ARFF helps the NSW community get engaged in citizen science at levels we need to see so we can make much better evidence-based decision making.

More reefs for Botany Bay

The RFA of NSW is pleased to see progress being made on new oyster reefs for Botany Bay, with ANSA NSW and South Sydney Amateur Fishing Association (SSAFA) driving almost $2m worth of federal money being used to restore areas of native flat oyster reef and Sydney rock oyster reefs in the Bay and the Georges River.

Anyone looking at getting involved in restoration work in and around Botany Bay should drop us a line at info@rfansw.com.au as SSAFA is looking at establishing a sub branch with Ozfish Australia to look after Botany Bay.

Big fines for lobster theft

Two men have been issued over $20,000 in fines and costs after being found guilty of lobster theft. NSW DPI fisheries officers found a large quantity of Eastern Rock Lobsters (ERLs) contained in an esky which was being transported in their vehicle.

Fisheries officers received information from members of the public before stopping the vehicle on the Princes Highway at Nowra on 12th July 2018. They counted and measured the ERLs and found the men to be in possession of 86 ERLs. 48 of the ERLs were found to be of a prohibited size. All the ERL were seized and released to the water.

ERL have a minimum size of 10.4 cm, maximum size of 18 cm, bag and possession limit of two. The men received the fines and costs when appearing separately in court in 2019 and 2021.

Members of the public are urged to report suspected illegal fishing activity by calling the NSW DPI Fishers Watch service on 1800 043 536 or report it online . 

Action to rebuild mulloway stocks
NSW DPI has announced it will soon start work on a harvest strategy for mulloway.

DPI says its focus will be on rebuilding the stock of this iconic and popular recreational species and is seeking expressions of interest on a Mulloway Harvest Strategy Working Group.

According to DPI, harvest strategies are a best-practice tool for fisheries management used around the world.

Expressions of interest are sought to fill the following member positions on the Mulloway Harvest Strategy Working Group;

• Independent Chairperson
• Independent Scientist
• Independent Economist
• NSW recreational fishers (3 positions)
• NSW commercial fishers (3 positions)
• Aboriginal fishing representative

For further information relating to the role of the Mulloway Harvest Strategy Working Group and details on how to submit an expression of interest for membership, please see this link. 

Apparently, despite the complexity and expected work load of the deliberations, the Working Group positions are not allowed sitting fees.

Applications close Sunday 23 May 2021.

Angel Ring Life Buoy - Wasp Head

The Durras Community Association installed a new Angel Ring after ANSA NSW received approval from Crown Lands. Thanks to ANSA NSW for supplying it and to Bob Mates and Etienne De Ceils for helping to install it. Please note that this is considered emergency equipment so should not be touched except in an emergency.

Rare longterm yellowfin tuna recapture

From time to time the NSW Game Fish Tagging Program is lucky enough to receive details of recaptures that come from remote regions of the Pacific Ocean.

Recently, a game fish recapture form was submitted by a researcher from the Japanese Fisheries Research Institute. The fisheries researcher had received a tag from a skipper of an international longline vessel who had just returned from a long-distance fishing voyage throughout the Pacific Islands. During this trip, the commercial vessel managed to capture a mature tagged yellowfin tuna whilst fishing an area known as the Pocklington Trough, which is east of Rossel Island, Papua New Guinea. 

A quick search of the database found that the tuna was tagged at the Southern Canyons offshore of Port Hacking, NSW. The fish was originally caught on 17 July 2016 by Gina Cleaver, who was fishing aboard game fishing boat Double Edge. The juvenile tuna was estimated it to be only 5 kg when it was tagged whilst upon recapture the fish weighed 61 kg, highlighting an impressive growth rate. The fish spent 1649 days at liberty and was caught over 1330 nautical miles (~2460 km) from its original release location.

The NSW Game Fish Tagging Program is funded by NSW fishing licences.

Marine Estate newsletters

NSW Marine Estate publishes newsletters every few months. You can subscribe for free at this link.
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The latest newsletter (April 2021) is at this link.

Restoration Through Harvest: Linking urchin fisheries to kelp restoration
"Restoration Through Harvest: Linking urchin fisheries to kelp restoration" is a workshop that will be held on June 17th, at the Narooma Golf Club. This project is supported by the NSW Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer and OceanWatch Australia, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program and the NSW Abalone Association. 

There will be a range of speakers from scientists, indigenous groups, fishers, government managers, aquaculture specialists and entrepreneurs talking about market solutions to remove sea urchins from barrens and recover kelp forests. Throughout the day there will be several discussion groups to identify the current barriers to these solutions and the steps to overcome them. 

Register here using eventbrite. Spaces are limited to please RSVP as soon as possible to help calculate numbers. 

Saving spearfishing in Little Bay

The RFA lobbied the Mayor of Randwick Council to remove the “marine reserve with a ban” in Little Bay in Sydney's south eastern suburbs in a Mayoral motion last week. The motion was set to formally ask NSW DPI about banning of spearfishing in Little Bay. Rules were already in place around spearfishing, however the words marine reserve would never fly with the RFA as this was about education and swimmer safety, not a underhanded call for a ban of fishing that that some in the local community have been pushing.

The RFA will not support a marine reserve until they show us evidence why we need a marine reserve and before we have consultation.

The Mayor did the right thing when the RFA explained that the issue of spearfishing safety and a ban on fishing had been combined, and this was not an acceptable process. A huge thanks to the Councillors who alerted the RFA to this issue. It was a long night of phone calls and emails to clear this up. The Underwater Skindiving and Fisherman Association (USFA) has been asked to assist in the education and liaise with Council on this issue. Seems that a little bit more education is all that is needed so the swimmers feel safe.

Leather jacket satay, spicy peanut sauce 
Courtesy of the Underwater Skindiving and Fishermen's Association
Serves 2

Ingredients
4 medium sized leatherjackets cut into strips and put onto skewers

Marinade
1 tablespoon Sunflower Oil
1 Garlic Clove (crushed)
1 Long Red Chillies (chopped)
1 tsp White Pepper (ground)
1 tablespoon Ground Coriander Seeds
1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1 tablespoon Ground Cumin
1 tsp Shrimp Paste or fish sauce
1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Kecap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)

Sauce
1 tablespoon Peanut Oil
1 Garlic Clove (crushed)
1 Asian Eschalot (red, finely chopped)
2 Small Red Chillies (thinly sliced)
¼ cup Smooth Peanut Butter
½ cup Light Coconut Milk
2 tablespoons Kecap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce)
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Light Soy Sauce
50g Unsalted Roasted Peanuts (crushed)
½ Lime

Marinade method
Heat all ingredients in the marinade list, in a wok or small pot for about 5-8 minutes on a medium heat until fragrant and slightly thick, remove from the wok or pot. Let cool and coat the leatherjacket skewers with marinade.

Spicy peanut sauce
For the spicy peanut dipping sauce, heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, eschalot and chilli, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened. Add peanut butter, coconut milk, kecap manis, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until the ingredients are combined. Add crushed peanuts, lime juice and 1/4 cup (125ml) water, then return to a simmer and cook for a further 2 minutes until reduced slightly. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Grill skewers of leatherjacket, serve with spicy peanut sauce over the top or as a dipping sauce, serve with steamed jasmine rice and Asian greens.

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A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T